Day Four: Over the Yangtse River and our next concert

Today begins early and we are all on the bus by 8 so that we may make the few hour trek northward to Yangzhou. We crossed the Yangtse River to find its breadth amazing--no small tributary, it was bustling with commercial traffic. We arrive to another huge, beautiful and complex city, certainly busy with traffic, commercial centers, sidewalk vendors, and gardened walkways.

Our hotel is a chain. We caravan to the one we thought was it finding out it was further down the road...so we did a turnabout or what our bus leader referred to as bus rodeo and circled our wagons and headed the other way--no small task for three large buses. As noted before this traffic has a mind of its own--cars, trucks, cyclists and any other pedaled mode of transportation with pedestrians added to the mix, so it was quite a feat. When we did it twice, probably not a common accomplishment--although I did refer to our drivers as exceptional!

We are greeted with a lunch that is quite elaborate, then do the key distribution and room check in. Most of our hotels are large but have limited elevators. Take 90 focused bag-toting customers--it takes a while to get everyone where they want or need to be. The violins head for a sectional session while some explore--some found the Jade Market and one found a noted historic garden within a short walk and distance from our hotel. The group is getting adventurous in seeking out what is available in the limited time they have to shop or soak up the culture. The weather has been conducive for walking...it is warmer than it was when we first got here and no rain.

Happy New Year SSO!

The concert hall is quite a distance from our hotel, so its round up the entire gang--groupies and/or family members too--and all go at once--departing at 3:45. We arrive at a brand new concert hall with beautiful grounds and landscaping and even dancing fountains that will be colorfully lit in the evening skyline.

The large red balloon archway that reads Happy New Year is complimented by red banners that float beside it with South Shore Orchestra printed in Chinese characters. As we go through the architecturally sculptured entrance we find familiar faces branding the wall size signage! Troy and Natalie hover like giants over an image of the orchestra. Everyone is impressed and dives for their cameras and a chance to line up for a photo op of this cool welcome--not your everyday back hometown welcome!

Bailey Wantuch, Elizabeth Rexfor and Karen Byrd

The venue is beautiful and as we find out very soon, richly adept to wrap and convey a full bodied and crisp and fresh orchestral sound. Meng and Brannen determine the sound delivery from several points while soloists and musicians test difficult transitions within the space. Our engineer hooks up our taping session, photographers test angles and vantage points and last minute details are dealt with before the orchestra wraps up some short rehearsal notes.

Back in the “green room” the orchestra awaits their formal entrance and the beginning of the concert. Snacks are provided and conversation fills the void before they meet their audience. Meanwhile the “groupie” group do not have seats--we have to wait until we are shown what is available.

The orchestra enters, each with their new red scarf that was a memento from our first kind sponsors in Anji. Their gift now becomes a signature of this New Year’s tour and we will wear them proudly each concert as a symbol of our mission here--exchanging our two cultures through the universal language of music.

A standing ovation and two encores!